Conventional computers, e.g., PCs (Personal Computers), laptops, notebooks, workstation computers, server computers, etc., in general include a main printed circuit board, the motherboard, on which one or a plurality of CPUs may be provided, as well as one or a plurality of plug-in contacts for memory modules, and possibly appropriate BIOS components, coprocessors, cache memory devices, oscillators, and one or a plurality of further plug-in contacts for (further) plug-in cards, etc.
The different components of the motherboard, e.g., the above-mentioned memory modules, the CPU, etc. may—for exchanging corresponding data, address, and/or control signals—be connected with one another via one or a plurality of bus systems.
As memory modules—that are to be inserted into the above-mentioned memory plug-in contacts—appropriate SIMM or DIMM memory cards may, for instance, be used (SIMM=Single In-Line Memory Module, DIMM=Dual In-Line Memory Module), each of them comprising a plurality of memory devices, e.g., a plurality of DRAM memory devices (DRAM=Dynamic Random Access Memory).
In the case of SIMM memory cards, the memory devices are provided only on one single side of the memory card and, in the case of DIMM memory cards, both on the rear side and on the front side of the card (i.e. on both sides).
SIMM memory cards include a connector with, e.g., 72 contacts to be inserted into a corresponding memory module plug-in contact, and DIMM memory cards include a connector with, e.g., 168 contacts, 84 at each side of the card, or, e.g., with 184, 200, 214, or 240 contacts.
Each DRAM memory device that is provided on a corresponding memory card may, for instance, have a storage capacity of 128 MBit, 256 MBit, 512 MBit, or 1 GBit, etc.; the total storage capacity provided by a corresponding memory card depends on the number of DRAM memory devices provided on a memory card, and on the storage capacity of the individual DRAM memory devices, and is, for instance, 1 GByte, 2 GByte, etc.
For DRAM memory devices, various kinds of housings are used, e.g., appropriate surface-mountable housings (SMD housings (SMD=Surface Mounted Device)), or plug-mountable housings (e.g., appropriate DIL housings (DIL=Dual-In-Line), etc.).
In the case of DIL housings, contacts provided at the memory device housing are inserted into corresponding holes provided in the memory card, and the contacts are soldered at the rear side of the card.
Contrary to that, in the case of SMD housings, e.g., in the case of BGA or TSOP housings, contacts provided at the memory device housing are placed on contacts provided on the surface of the memory card—or in more detail on a soldering paste provided there. Thereafter, the memory card is heated in an oven such that the contacts of the memory device are soldered to the corresponding contacts provided on the surface of the memory card.
By the fact that the memory device housings are not soldered directly onto the motherboard, but onto the above-mentioned memory cards—that can be inserted into corresponding plug-in contacts of the motherboard—, the total storage capacity that is provided for the respective computer may be adapted to the respective requirements of the user without major efforts.
The demands made on the storage capacity of computers are continuously increasing.
In order to do justice to these demands, DRAM memory devices with ever increasing storage capacities have been used. At the same time, the number of DRAM memory devices provided on an individual memory card has been increasing.
The number of DRAM memory devices that may maximally be provided on a corresponding memory card is, however, limited by the physical dimension of memory cards which is predetermined by standards.
To increase the storage capacity of a memory card, memory device housings may be used in which—instead of one single memory device—two or more memory devices are arranged, e.g., on top of each other or in a stacked manner, respectively.
For further increasing the storage capacity of a memory card, a memory extension memory card may also be used which may, for instance, be mechanically mounted on a corresponding (main) memory card by means of appropriate screw connections or soldered connections, and which may—for the exchange of data, address, and/or control signals between the main card and the extension memory card—be electrically connected with the main memory card by means of a ribbon cable.
However, inter alia, the relatively high production costs are of disadvantage.
Further disadvantages and limitations of conventional systems and methods will become apparent to a person skilled in the art when comparing such systems and methods with the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.